Material handling apparatus



wzsma Oct. 3, 1933.

- 2.6. ROBINSON MATERIAL HANDLING APPARA'IUS Filed Dec. 8, 1952 Main -s INVENTQR- i 5. MM

ATTORNEYS Patented Dot. 3, 1933 MATERIAL LING APPARATUS Evelyn Gwynn Robinson, New York, N. Y.

Application December 8, 1932.- Serial No. 646,250

9 Claims. (Cl. 302-53) This invention relates to material-handling apparatus of the'type disclosed in my co-pending patent application Serial No. 511,462, filed January 27, 1931, and adapted for the pneumatic removal of such as granular, flocculent, pulverulent or similar materials from receptacles or containers such, for example, as railway cars, storage bins or chambers and the like.

An object of the present invention is to simplify the apparatus of the above patent application and increase its efliciency of operation, especially with respect to the removal of the relatively small amount of material remaining in the receptacle after the major portion of the original bulk or such material has been removed.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following descriptiontaken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which- Fig. 1 is a vertical, central, section view of a tank or receptacle, in association with which are shown in section and in elevation certain elements entering into the apparatus embodying this invention; Fig. 2 is a reduced vertical, sectional view, taken on line 2--2 of Fig. 1; and Fig.

3 is a fragmental view in elevation showing a modified form of the invention.

Although this invention is adapted for use in connection with various types of receptacles or containers, it is herein illustrated in association with a. cylindrical tank 10, which is such that it may be mounted on railway trucks, not shown, and there employed as a portable means for transportation of granular, flocculent, pulverulent or similar materials M, which are of such a nature that they can be carried from a conduit under the influence of a moving body of air therein, and are hence of such a nature that they may be ex-' peditiously and economically removed or unloaded from the tank. The tank 10 includes a pair of heads 11 and 12, suitably connected to the ends of the cylindrical wall 14 of the tank,

which wall is provided with a filling opening'l5,

with which is associated a closure 16. The closure 16 is shown as of standard design, and is adapted to be clamped in position on a suitable fitting 1'1 by a plurality of fastening devices 18 in a wellknown manner so as to seal the tank 10 against the escape of air by way of the opening 15 during the unloading operation.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the tank 10 is provided with a stationary conduit-unit, in the form of a pipe 20, the opposite ends ofwhich project through the heads 11 and 12 and are so secured to such heads as. to there ,form an air-tight seal. The pipe 20 is provided intern'iediate its ends with a divisional wall 21 or abutment, which serves to block off the front section 20a of that pipe from the rear section 20b thereof so that these sections may serve respectively as air-inlet and material-discharge conduits. To the outer end of the air-inlet conduit 20a is connected an airsupply pipe 22, by which compressed air may be supplied from a suitable air compressor C to the interior of the tank 10 for the purpose of loosening, by aeration, the material M and thereafter removing such material from the tank, in a manner hereinafter more particularly described, by way of the discharge conduit 20b, with the outer end of which is associated a suitable valve 24, by which escape of air and material from the tank may be prevented during the period of initial aerating, at which time air pressure is built up within the tank preparatory to the materialremoving operation.

Secured to the pipe 20 and communicating with the discharge conduit 20b, is a depending pick-up nozzle 25 which extends downwardly to within a relatively short distance from the lowest portion of the bottom of the tank 10, as shown in Fig. 2, the pick-up nozzle being so shaped, as shown in Fig. 1, that it, and likewise its narrow slot-like inlet opening 26, extends substantially throughout the length of the lowest portion of the bottom of the tank. Referring to Fig. 2, it will be noted that the lower end of the pick-up nozzle 25 is positioned substantially intermediate the lower ends of a pair of flow-plates or bafiles 27,

which extend longitudinally of the tank throughout its length and are secured to the cylindrical wall of the tank at 45 to the horizontal, so that the material, as it recedes during the material-removing operation, will be directed into such close proximity to the inlet opening 26 of the pick-up nozzle as to enable the pick-up nozzle to maintain a high degree of efliciency in its removal of material so long as any material remains in the tank.

Some materials, such as dry or powdered cement, have a tendency to pack into a highly compact mass whensubjected, for example, to the jarring action incident to rail transportation, andwith this in mind, I haveprovided "meansfor loosening such materials, by aeration, so that the pick-up nozzle 25 of the apparatus embodying the present invention may operate to efliciently, completely and expeditiously efiect the removal of the material from the tank 10. The aerating means, herein shown, includes a manifold 28, which is secured to the pipe 20 and communicates with the air-inlet conduit 20a by way of an airport 30 formed in the wall of the pipe 20. To each side of the manifold 28, are connected a plurality of aerating pipes 31, herein shown as twelve in number, which" project downwardly into the tank 10 along the side walls of the pick-up nozzle 25, six of such pipes being at one side of the nozzle and the other six of such pipes at the other side of the nozzle. In order to insure rigidity of the pipes 31, they are suitably connected, as by straps 32, to the sidewalls of the pick-up nozzle 25. As shown inFig. 2, the pipes 31 are deflected outwardly at their lower ends from the side walls of the pick-up nozzle 25, and terminate at points in close proximity to the inlet opening 26 of the pick-up nozzle where they become effective, as air is introduced through them and into the tank 10 from the compressor C, to aerate the material M throughout its mass, and especially in the vicinity of the inlet opening of the pick-up nozzle, and thus condition the material so that it can be easily picked up by the pick-up nozzle 25 and discharged from the tank 10, by way of the discharge conduit 20b, under the influence of the flowing stream of air as it passes from the tank by way of the pick-up nozzle and discharge conduit.

The operation of the device shown in Figs. 1 and 2' is as follows:

Assuming thatthe closure 16 and the valve 24 are closed, compressed air is introduced into the tank'10, by way of the air conduit 20a and the aerating pipes 31, until a considerable pressure of, say, twenty-five pounds, has been built up within the apparatus, the air pressure within the tank being at all times indicated by a suitable pressure gauge G, mounted in some convenient place on the tank at a point above the level of the material.

As the compressed air escapes from the outlet ends of the aerating pipes 31, it passes up through the material M, and in so doing, the material, such'as tightly packed cement in dry or powdered form, is efiectively loosened or aerated. After aerating the material, thus conditioning it for removal, and while continuing to introduce compressed air into the tank 10, the valve 24 is opened, with the result that the material is caused to enter the pick-up nozzle 25 by way of the inlet opening 26 thereof under the influence of a flowing stream of air entering the pick-up nozzle from ,the tank 10, the material being carried from the pick-up nozzle and out of the tank 10 through the discharge conduit 20b to any desired point or location, as will be readily understood. During the material-handling operation, compressed air is supplied to the tank 10, in the manner described, at a sufiicient rate to maintain a substantial pressure within-the tank; once that pressure has been built up before the valve 24 has been opened, with the result that a substantially steady or uniform rate of discharge of the material may be effected throughout the material-handling operation. Because of the-fact that the outlet ends of the aerating pipes 31 are in close proximity to the inlet .opening 26 of the pick-up nozzle 25, I am enabled to effect a substantial agitation of the material in the immediate vicinity of such inlet opening, and to also efiect such a mixing of the material with the air in that vicinty that the material and the air enter the pick-up nozzle in a commingled condition, with the result. that the material is placed in a state of air-suspension even prior to the instant the material enters the pick-up nozzle, thus promoting eflicient and reliable functioning of the device as a materialhandling apparatus. As the material is removed from the lower vicinity of the mass, the bulk of material descends by gravity, and thus insures the maintenance of a functional relation between the material and the inlet opening 26 of the pickup nozzle, the material being under all conditions of operation directed into the relatively narrow confine or channel-like space intermediate the lower ends of the flow-plates or baflies 27, where the lower end of the pick-up nozzle terminates, with the result that complete removal of the material from the tank may be effected.

Some materials, with which the apparatus embodying the. present invention is adapted to be employed, tend-as completion of the materialremoving operation is very nearly approachedto assume such a relation to the inlet opening 26 of the pick-up nozzleas to render the pick-up nozzle ineffective with respect to the remaining material. With this possibility in mind, I have provided, as shown in the modified form of the invention in Fig. 3, means for oscillating the pick-up nozzle 25 through a relatively short arc in the very last stage of the material-removing operation, so that the lower end of the nozzle, which is adapted to be moved intermediate the lower ends of the flow-plates or baflles 27, may be utilized to break down or otherwise disrupt any material at the very bottom of the tank, such as might be present in the form of, small mounds located intermediate the lower ends of the aerating pipes 31 and at opposite sides of the pick-up nozzle as indicated by the dotted lines 34 in Fig. 3, so that such material, representing the very last portion of the original bulk, may be picked up by the pick-up nozzle and discharged from the tank.

In order that the above described oscillatory movement of the pick-up nozzle 25 may be accomplished in the form of the invention shown in Fig. 3, the conduit unit, which includes the 40, meshing with a worm gear 41, secured to the end of the pipe 20 adjacent the air-supply pipe It will be understood that other forms of the apparatus, other than those herein particularly described, may be employed without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the followingclaims.

What is claimed is:

1. A material-handling apparatus comprising a receptacle adapted for the reception of material to be removed therefrom, a discharge conduit leading from said receptacle, a downwardly extending pick-up nozzle communicating with said conduit and having an inlet end substantially coextensive in length with and disposed near the lowest portion of the bottom of said receptacle, and means for effecting the passage of compressed air through the material to loosen it and thereafter through said pick-up nozzle and discharge conduit whereby the loosened material is caused to enter said pick-up nozzle and pass therefrom by way of said discharge conduit.

2. A material-handling apparatus comprising a receptacle adapted for the reception of material to be removed therefrom, a discharge conduit leading from said receptacle, a downwardly extending pick-up nozzle communicating with said conduit and having an inlet end substantially coextensive in length with and disposed near the lowest portion of the bottom of said receptacle, and means for releasing compressed air into the material adjacent the inlet end of said pick-up iii) nozzle whereby the material to be removed is loosened and caused to enter said pick-up nozzle along with such air and pass therefrom by way of said discharge conduit.

3. A material-handling apparatus comprising a receptacle adapted for the reception of material to be removed therefrom, a discharge conduit leading from said receptacle, a downwardly extending pick-up nozzle communicating with said conduit and having an inlet end substantially coextensive in length with and disposed near the lowest portion of the bottom of said receptacle, means for releasing compressed air into the material in the immediate vicinity of the inlet end of-the pick-up nozzle whereby the material to be removed is aerated in the immediate vicinity of the inlet end of nozzle and through the depth of its mass, and means operable to close said receptacle against escape of compressed air by way of said pick-up nozzle and said discharge conduit during the period of aeration and thereafter operable to release compressed air from said receptacle through said pick-up nozzle and discharge conduit whereby the aerated material is caused to enter said pick-up nozzle and pass therefrom by way of said discharge conduit.

4. A material-handling apparatus comprising a receptacle adapted for the reception of material to be removed therefrom, a discharge conduit leading from said receptacle, a downwardly extending pick-up nozzle communicating with said conduit andhaving an inlet end substantially coextensive in length with and disposed near the lowest portion of the bottom of said receptacle, and a plurality of aerating pipes connected to a source of compressed air and terminating in the immediate vicinity of the inlet end with said discharge conduit, a source of compressed air connected to said air inlet conduit, and means communicating with said air inlet conduit for releasing compressed air into the material adjacent the inlet end of said pick-up nozzle whereby the material to be removed is loosened and caused to enter the pick-up nozzle along with such air and pass therefrom by way of said discharge conduit.

6. A material-handling apparatus comprising a receptacle adapted for the reception of material to be removed therefrom, a conduit unit including a discharge conduit and an airinlet conduit, a downwardly extending pick-up nozzle carried by said conduit unit and communicating with said discharge conduit and having an inlet end substantially coextensive with and disposed relatively near the lower bottom-wall area of said receptacle, a source of compressed air connected to said air inlet conduit, and means communicating with said air inlet conduit for releasing compressed air into the material adiacent the inlet end of said pick-up nozzle whereby the material to be removed is loosened and caused to enter the pickup nozzle along with such air and pass therefrom by way of said discharge conduit. 1

7. A material-handling apparatus comprising a receptacle adapted for the reception of material to be removed therefrom, a conduit unit including a discharge conduit and an air inlet conduit, a downwardly extending pick-up nozzle carried by said'conduit unit and communicating with said discharge conduit, a source of compressed air connected to said air inlet conduit, means communicating with said air inlet conduit for releasing compressed air into the'material adjacent the inlet end of said pick-up nozzle whereby the material to be removed is aerated in the immediate vicinity of the inlet end of the pick-up nozzle and throughout the depth of its mass, and means operable to close said receptacle against escape of compressed air by way of said pick-up nozzle and said discharge conduit during the period of aeration and thereafter operable to release compressed air .from said receptacle through said pick-up nozzle and discharge conduit whereby the aerated material is caused to enter said pick-up nozzle and pass therefrom by way of said discharge conduit.

8. A material-handling apparatus comprising a receptacle adapted for the reception of the material to be removed therefrom, the wall of said receptacle having inclined portions forming with each other and with the lowest portion of the bottom of the receptacle a channel-like space extending substantially throughout the length of the bottom of the receptacle andinto which the zle communicating with said conduit and having an inlet end substantially coextensive in length with and disposed within said channel-like space near the lowest portion of the bottom of said receptacle, and means for effecting the passage of compressed air through the material to loosen it and thereafter through said pick-up. nozzle and discharge conduit whereby the loosened material is caused to enter said pick-up nozzle and pass therefrom by .way of said discharge conduit.

9. A material-handling apparatus comprising a receptacle adapted for the reception of the material to be removed therefrom, the wall of said receptacle having inclined portions forming with each other and with the lowest portion of the' bottom of the receptacle a channel-like space extending substantially through the length of the bottom of the receptacle and into which T the receding'material is directed by said in clined portions, a discharge conduit leading from said receptacle, a downwardly extending pick-up nozzle communicating with said conduit and having an inlet end substantially coextensive in length with and disposed within said channel-' like space near the lowest portion of the bottom of said receptacle, means for effecting the passage of compressed air through the material to loosen it and thereafter through said pick-up nozzle and discharge conduit whereby the loosened material is caused to enter said pick-up nozzle and pass therefrom by way of said discharge conduit, and means for moving the inlet end of said pick-up nozzle transversely of said channel-like space intermediate the lower ends of said inclined wall portions.

' EVELYN GWYNN ROBINSON. 

